Cancer recurrence means cancer that has come back. This usually occurs after a period of time which you had no symptoms and the cancer cannot be detected anywhere in your body. The fears faced when the cancer returns can often be greater than even the initial diagnosis.
You and your doctor may suspect that your cancer has come back if you begin to have symptoms similar to those you had when you were first diagnosed. You may notice other changes to your health. You may have changes to your physical exam or your CA125 may begin rising. For some women, the CA125 is not an accurate marker. An ultrasound or CT Scan may be used to confirm a recurrence.
Ovarian cancer may come back:
In the same place where it began (local recurrence)
In the lymph nodes near where it began (regional recurrence)
In another area in your body some distance from where it began (distant recurrence or metastasis
There are several treatments available to treat recurrence of ovarian cancer no matter where it occurs. Examples include chemotherapy, biological therapies, surgery and radiation therapy.